Abstract:

Following the success of our previous books: Cooking Innovations: Using Hydrocolloids for Thickening, Gelling, and Emulsification and More Cooking Innovations: Novel Hydrocolloids for Special Dishes, my dear colleague, partner and friend Prof. Madoka Hirashima of Mie University, Japan and I have devoted the past couple of years to this latest volume, intended to introduce students and food technologists to the myriad uses of hydrocolloids and exploring their use to control the four principal quality factors in foods: appearance, flavor, texture, and nutrition.

This book breaks down how particular hydrocolloids’ unique abilities are used to achieve desired food quality factors. With the use of hydrocolloids on the rise, we believe this volume could make a real impact. Written with the belief that an understanding of the chemistry and physics of the involvement of hydrocolloids in food science and technology will lead to improved performance and increased innovation in this realm, we hope readers across the globe, be them food engineers, food science students, chefs, amateur cooks, and other professionals find it insightful and practical.

The text, photographs, illustrations and recipes demonstrating the various uses and applications of numerous hydrocolloids in foods are complemented by formulations tailored to the food technologist, designed to be applied to large-scale use, or practiced as a starting point for novel industrial formulations. Readers will also find a thorough introduction to the use of hydrocolloids to control food size and shape; a comprehensive exploration of the use of hydrocolloids to modulate food color and gloss; practical discussions pertaining to the modification of food taste and odor using hydrocolloids and a thorough description of the ways in which hydrocolloids are used to improve crispy, crunchy and crackly foods.

Though many books have been devoted to different water-soluble polymers (hydrocolloids) and their uses, I believe there is still a great deal to learn about these fascinating materials, and am looking forward to continuing my journey in uncovering and making them more accessible to the public.

 
 

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